Donna Summer

Performed by Rainere Martin

Biography

From her first step on stage through her medley of disco hits, Rainere portrays all that was magical and musical of the beautiful and talented Donna Summer's legendary career. Blessed by God with the gift of voice and a grandmother who filled her heart with beautiful songs, Rainere learned at an early age that she could use her voice to lift up souls and bring joy to all who hear her sing. With an early focus on R&B ballads, an appreciation for the art and craft of performers of all eras, and a desire to find her right niche, Rainere's early explorations had her performing in theater, music videos, motion pictures, TV, and becoming a sought after entertainer for a variety of social and corporate events. Her appearance on the national TV show, Showtime at the Apollo, earned her a standing ovation. And while all these opportunities fulfilled her desire to delight audiences with song and passionate performance, it was the musical pulse of the 70's and the era’s great headliner Donna Summer that stuck in her memory.

Rainere explains, "It was a realization that I just didn’t sing Donna's songs, I felt them. They were so deeply inside me that I knew I could honor her and all the good she did by re-creating her presence for audiences who remember how great she and her contributions were to all of us!" This led to Rainere developing and presenting her tribute to Donna Summer to audiences small and large, including patrons of the World’s Greatest Tribute Show, Legends in Concert. Her performances to date have been electrifying audiences along with her uncanny resemblance to Donna's style, grace, energy, and of course, voice.

While Donna Summer will always be a staple in her repertoire, Rainere also finds that audiences enjoy her variety of pop, soft rock, and the occasional 'torch' song to create the right mood at the right time. Her song list spans six decades with the appropriate stage presence and performance to match the audience and venue. She has recently added a variety of country songs to the delight of audiences not accustomed to hearing an African American female sing tunes straight out of Nashville.

With music in her blood and songs in her heart, Rainere continues to seek out audiences of all ages who enjoy melodies from different eras and appreciate the pioneers and contemporaries who brought them to us. But regardless how far her musical explorations take her, Rainere attests that, "There will always be a Donna Summer down deep inside me that will come through in every performance".